Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen, left, celebrates his 20th save of the season with teammate Logan O’Hoppe after their 8-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi picks up a baseball before pitching during the first inning of a game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels center fielder Jo Adell, right, is unable to handle a ball hit for a single by the Texas Rangers’ Sam Haggerty as second baseman Luis Rengifo runs in during the first inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels center fielder Jo Adell is unable to handle a ball hit for a single by the Texas Rangers’ Sam Haggerty during the first inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Patrick Corbin throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against Angels on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Angels’ Zach Neto, below, steals second base as Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien takes a late throw during the first inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Angels’ Nolan Schanuel, second from right, scores on a throwing error after a single by Jo Adell as Texas Rangers starting pitcher Patrick Corbin, left, first baseman Ezequiel Duran, second from left, and catcher Kyle Higashioka stand by during the first inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels star Mike Trout, right, walks away after striking out as Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka throws the ball back to his pitcher during the first inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Patrick Corbin throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against Angels on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Angels’ Jo Adell, right, dives back to first base after hitting a single as Texas Rangers first baseman Ezequiel Duran is unable to handle the throw to him during the first inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels left fielder Taylor Ward can’t get to a ball hit for a solo home run by the Texas Rangers’ Kyle Higashioka during the fourth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi tosses a new baseball after giving up a home run to the Texas Rangers’ Kyle Higashioka during the fourth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Texas Rangers’ Kyle Higashioka is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a game against Angels on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Angels’ Gustavo Campero, right, is tagged out by Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien as he tries to steal second during the fourth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Angels’ Jo Adell, left, scores as Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka stands by after Gustavo Campero hit into a fielders’ choice during the fourth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Texas Rangers’ Wyatt Langford, left, is tagged out at second base by Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo after being caught off base during the fifth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Texas Rangers’ Wyatt Langford, left, is tagged out at second base by Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo after being caught off base during the fifth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia reaches over the wall to rob a home run from the Angels’ Nolan Schanuel during the fifth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia makes a catch on a ball hit by the Angels’ Nolan Schanuel, robbing him of a home run during the fifth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia, right, celebrates with center fielder Wyatt Langford after making a catch to rob the Angels’ Nolan Schanuel of a home run during the fifth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Texas Rangers’ Josh Smith, center, scores on a single by Ezequiel Duran as Angels catcher Travis d’Arnaud, left, gets set to apply a late tag on him during the sixth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Texas Rangers’ Josh Smith, center, scores on a single by Ezequiel Duran as Angels catcher Travis d’Arnaud applies a late tag during the sixth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Texas Rangers’ Ezequiel Duran, left, is forced out at second base as Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo throws out Sam Haggerty at first to complete a double play during the sixth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Texas Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford can’t handle a ball hit for an RBI double by the Angels’ Gustavo Campero during the sixth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Texas Rangers center fielder Wyatt Langford can’t handle a ball hit for an RBI double by the Angels’ Gustavo Campero during the sixth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Texas Rangers left fielder Sam Haggerty can’t handle a ball hit for a double by the Angels’ Zach Neto during the sixth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Angels’ Yoan Moncada, right, scores on a double by Zach Neto as Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka gestures during the sixth inning on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. The Angels scored four runs in the sixth and won, 8-5. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Texas Rangers’ Josh Smith is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Ezequiel Duran during the sixth inning of a game against the Angels on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels star Mike Trout is hit by a pitch during the eighth inning of a game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery, center, yells toward the Texas Rangers’ bench as home plate umpire Marvin Hudson gestures after Angels star Mike Trout, right, was hit by a pitch during the eighth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery, center, has words with Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy after Angels star Mike Trout was hit by a pitch during the eighth inning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen throws to the plate during the ninth inning of a game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen gestures after the final out of their 8-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Angels shortstop Zach Neto, left, and center fielder Jo Adell celebrate after the team’s 8-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen, left, celebrates his 20th save of the season with teammate Logan O’Hoppe after their 8-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM — The Angels are not going quietly into the deadline.
The Angels took advantage of several defensive mistakes to beat the Texas Rangers, 8-5, on Tuesday night. By winning their third straight game, the Angels gave General Manager Perry Minasian a little more to think about with one game to go before Thursday’s MLB trade deadline.
The Angels are fighting to stay relevant, including a benches-clearing incident late in Tuesday’s game, after both Zach Neto and Mike Trout were hit by pitches.
The flood of emotions and the productive offense have the Angels talking confidently about their postseason chances, despite the fact that FanGraphs still puts their odds at 5% of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
“I still believe in this team, man,” closer Kenley Jansen said after picking up his third save in three days. “We’ve got great offense. That’s up for the front office to know what direction they [decide to] go. But if we can find a way to improve. … We have a great offense, that we can win ball games. So we’ve just got to pitch, to keep pitching better to help our offense win ball games.”
The Angels (53-55) still need to win plenty of games to get to the playoffs. They are four games out of the third American League wild card spot, but they need to leapfrog four teams.
The Angels also still have a negative-63 run differential, which doesn’t suggest they have two months of the caliber of baseball they need in their future.
That’s the math that Minasian will be pondering when considering whether to trade away players like Jansen and left fielder Taylor Ward, or hold the team together for a push. An even more extreme position would be to trade away prospects to try and add major league help. That could be justified if they can acquire players who are under control beyond this year.
“It’s a business,” Jansen said. “I can’t control what they control. But I came here with one mission to try to help turn things around here. I play this game to win. It’s not in my hands. Hopefully we add, but if not, it’s something I can’t control.”
Trout, who obviously isn’t going anywhere, had a similar sentiment about what might happen around him.
“I’m just focused on the guys in here right now,” Trout said. “Whatever the front office does, they do. But the guys in here are tight. It’s fun to come to the ballpark.”
The tightness of the team was illustrated during the eighth inning on Tuesday. Neto was hit by a pitch, and two pitches later Trout was hit. Trout said it got him in the pad on his hand, so he wasn’t injured, but interim manager Ray Montgomery nonetheless came out of the dugout, ostensibly to check on him.
As Trout walked toward first, by the visitors dugout, Montgomery had some words for the Rangers. Texas manager Bruce Bochy then came out of the dugout and there was a brief shouting match, with players from both dugouts and bullpens spilling onto the field.
Montgomery said later that he never suggested that Rangers pitcher Shawn Armstrong had any intent to hit any of his players, but he was merely frustrated that the Angels had been hit four times in the game. Luis Rengifo was hit in the seventh and Neto was also hit in the first.
“When that happens, obviously everybody’s angry in the moment,” Montgomery said. “(Bochy) thought I was insinuating that there was some intent. I wasn’t. I was just frustrated that our guys were getting hit, and I wanted (Armstrong) to command the ball a little bit better. I never said anything about any intent. And I think when we got out there, you saw Boch, I think he knew that. I’m not gonna insinuate anything like that.”
Nonetheless, Trout said the players enjoyed watching Montgomery have their backs.
“I think the boys love it,” Trout said. “Sticking up for his players. Sticking up for his guys. It’s fun to see.”
The Angels also supported each other between the lines, with a full-squad effort that led to the victory. The Angels had only six hits, but they also drew seven walks, in addition to the four batters who reached by getting hit. They also took advantage of several defensive mistakes by the Rangers to put eight runs on the board.
The four-run inning that put the game away came just after the Rangers had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth. Yoan Moncada drove in two runs to give the Angels the lead with a pinch-hit single on the first pitch he saw since coming out of Saturday’s game after he was hit in the hand by a pitch.
“I think it’s just our guys trusting each other, not trying to do too much in the moment,” center fielder Jo Adell said. “Passing the baton is like what we like to say, but really just fighting and knowing that they’re trying to make us swing at pitches that are out of the strike zone and funneling pitches back in the strike zone. We have a really good offense, so we’re just being stingy at the plate, and knowing that, ‘Hey, if I don’t get a pitch to hit, the next guy will do it,’ and we have threats in this lineup to be able to do that. So I think that’s kind of the the key to this team is just we keep fighting back. We’ll keep putting up runs. If they score, we’ll come back and find a way to score. And we just have to keep that mentality.”
Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi also had a rough night. He gave up 10 hits and threw 105 pitches in 5⅓ innings. He was charged with four runs, three earned. The last two scored against him because he insisted that he had enough left in the tank to go out for the sixth inning, even after five grueling innings.
“Obviously it was a grind,” Kikuchi said through his interpreter. “I got myself into trouble a few innings there, but was able to pitch into the sixth inning to try to keep my team in the game. I’m glad the offense pulled through and got a big W today.”
Originally Published: July 29, 2025 at 10:06 PM PDT